Heat Treatment of Chtysotile Asbestos Fibers

A commercial method .has 1been developed for controlling. the texture of chrysotile asbestos fibers so that they may possess properties comparable with natural semi-harsh fibers for use in wet processes. The physical properties of the soft, silky and slimy fibers are partially altered by a flash-heating process which removes a portion of the molecular water. The heat-treated fibers show an improvement in filterability, an increase in bulk, absorption, and surface area and better electrical properties, such as volume resistivity.